Geelong star Mathew Stokes is struggling to cope with the fallout of being charged with drug trafficking, which is believed to be the first time a current VFL/AFL player has charged with such a serious offence.
Stokes appeared in the Geelong Magistrates' Court on Wednesday as one of six people charged over an operation that led to police seizing $50,000 worth of drugs.
The 25-year-old could face a prison term of up to 15 years and was bailed to re-appear on March 12.
He is also facing a life ban from the AFL if found guilty of drug trafficking under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
The 2007 premiership forward, who was not a part of last year's second flag-winning team, was visited at his Geelong home on Thursday morning by several players including James Kelly - a member of the Cats' eight-man player leadership group - as well as Shannon Byrnes and Ryan Gamble.
Geelong chief executive Brian Cook told Channel Ten that Stokes was struggling to come to terms with the seriousness of his situation after police alleged in court that the Stokes ordered a gram of high quality cocaine from Geelong assistant nightclub manager Mark Randall, who has also been charged, back in January.
It is alleged that Stokes did not buy the drugs for personal use but for friends in his native Darwin.
"He's shattered and he's really struggling," Cook said when asked on Thursday how Stokes was coping.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson has vowed not to let the Stokes furore distract his club's build-up to the upcoming season - where the Cats will aim to win their third flag in the past four seasons.
"We are very, very upset, we just have to deal with it," he said on Thursday.
"We are not going to hide away from it - we are just going to try and move forward."
Stokes has been stood down by the club pending the outcome of his court proceedings with Victorian premier John Brumby backing the action taken by the Cats on Thursday.
"I think the action that's been taken by the AFL and Geelong Football Club is appropriate," he told the Herald Sun newspaper.
"These are very serious matters and they need to be dealt with in the strongest, firmest, clearest ways."
"Geelong Football Club took that action and it was the right action."
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the league also supported the Cats' decision to ban Stokes.
Stokes has played 71 games and kicked 108 goals for the Cats since his debut in 2006 and won high praise for the manner in which he put aside his personal disappointment at missing last year's premiership win when he even dressed up as the club's mascot - Half-Cat - at the club's grand final night celebrations.